11 Documentary Short Films Set to World Premiere at MIFF 2014

MIFF’s 31st edition (March 7-16, 2014) will world premiere 11 short films documenting a project by a group of nationally and internationally renowned artists commissioned by The Arts Initiativeand curated by Primary Projects. The 11 documentary shorts will be programmed to individually precede the documentary feature films competing in MIFF’s Knight Documentary Competition program.

Bert Rodriguez

The films, also commissioned by The Arts Initiative, are produced by Grela Orihuela and directed by Bill Bilowit of Miami’sWet Heat Project. Bilowit's feature-length documentary about Bert Rodriguez, Making Sh*t Up, world premiered at MIFF’s 28th edition in 2011.

The 11 contemporary artists were chosen to enrich and enliven Fashion Outlets of Chicago, a newly opened, $250 million, multi-level luxury outlet mall. Since the beginning of June, filmmakers Bilowit and Orihuela have been in production on the documentary series, capturing each of the site-specific, large-scale installations.

Daniel Arsham

The caliber of artists is unusual for a retail center, and Wet Heat Project became involved as the developers of the windy city’s Fashion Outlets sought to fuse fashion and art in a new and innovative way – “artist-driven ideas actively integrated into the architectural framework and viewing space.”

Austyn Weiner

The complete line-up of the 31st Miami International Film Festival will be announced in late January 2014.